Sound-conductor for talking-machines.



No. 790.546. I PATENTED MAY 23, .1905. A. 0 WIECHBRSV SOUND CONDUCTOR FOR TALKING MACHINES.

v APPLIOATION FILED we. a, 1904.

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- No 790,546. PATENTED MAY 23, 1905.

' A. 0. WIEUHBRS.

SOUNDUONDUUTOR FOR TALKING MACHINES.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 8, 1904A 2 BHEBTS' SHBBT 2.

I a M fim a M UNITED STATES Patented May 23, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT C. WIECHERS, OF YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE REGINA COMPANY, OF RAHWAY, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

SOUND-CONDUCTOR FOR TALKING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 790,546, dated May 23, 1905.

Application filed. August 8, 1904. Serial No. 219,830.

T at whom, it may concern:

Be it knownthat I, ALBERT C. WIEOHERS, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of the borough of Manhattan, city, county,

and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sound-Con- .ductors for Talking-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to sound-conductors To for talking-machines, such as are employed for conveying the sound from the vibrating diaphragm to the amplifying horn. Inasmuch as a joint has to be provided in this conductor, in view of the fact that the reproducer is loosely mounted, so as to follow the record in its movements, considerable difficulty has been experienced owing to the rattling of the metallic parts at the joint, and even when metallic parts are avoided the prac- 2o 'tical results hitherto have not been satisfactory.

The object of my present invention is to improve the joint between that part of the sound-conduit which is connected with the horn and the part'of the conduit leading to the reproducer. The joint provided by my invention allows the reproducer to swing freely in a horizontal plane and also allows it to swing freely in that vertical plane which 0 passes through the reproducer andthe adjacent portion of the sound-conduit. Any other vertical movement of the reproducer and sound-conduit is, however, prevented.

In the accompanying drawings I have illus- 5 trated a specific embodiment of my invention.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a talkingmachine sufficient to explain my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan on line 2 2 of Fig.- 1. a Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation on line 3 3 0 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a sectional'elevation on line 4 I of Fig. 3. Figs. 5 and 7 are sectional elevations of two other forms of my invention; and Figs. 6 and 8 are sectional plans on line 6 6 of Fig. 5 and line 8 8 of Fig. 7, re-

spectively.

A indicates a portion of the stationary frame of the machine, to which a bracket B is secured by means of a set-screw G, the said being normally vertical.

bracket carrying a socket D, upon which is fitted the tubular end E of the amplifyinghorn E. The horn therefore is stationary, but may, if desired, be adjusted to point'in one direction or another. The lower portion of the socket D has a spherical'curvature, as indicated at D, and is centrally apertured at the bottom to receive a spherically-rounded tubular bearing member F, which is rigidly secured to the upper end of the sound-conducting tube F, said upper end of the tube The opening in the bottom of the socket D is,-howev'er, large enough to allow the bearing member F and I the tube F to swing, thus permitting of an up-and-down movement of the tube F; This tube at its free end carries the repro* ducer G, of any suitable construction, which reproducer is adapted to cooperate with the record H, carried on the rotary record-support H. In the normal position the soundconducting tube F may rest against a fork I, projected from the bracket B and having a lining J of soft material. In order that the tube F may swing only up and down without any lateral movement, such as would bring the diaphragm of the reproducer out of its vertical position, I provide the bearing member F with two lugs F extending upwardly therefrom and adapted to engage a ledge D? within the socket D. These lugs will allow the bearing member F to swing vertically only in a plane corresponding to that of the reproducerdiaphragmthat is, the lugs F should be so arranged that a line 61' diameter connecting them in a horizontal plane will be at a right angle to the plane of the reproducer-diaphragm. The reproducer can thus follow the record in all of its movements, yet the diaphragm will always be kept in a vertical position, or, in other words, at a right angle to the surface of the record, and at the same time a tight joint is obtained which conducts the sound uniformly well irrespective of the movement of the bearing member F.

In the form of construction illustrated by Fig. '5 the bearing member f is provided at the upper ends of the lugs f with pins f projecting outwardly into an angular groove d in the socket d. This construction obviously has the same functions and advantages as the one first described, and, moreover, in this case one lug f with its pin f will be suflicient.

As indicated in Fig. 6, the movable member fits over the stationary member instead of into the same. The construction is otherwise very similar to that shown in Fig. 5, the stationary member having a sphericallycurved end D and a cylindrical portion D, provided with an annular groove D adapted to receive pins F upon lugs F2 projected from the spherically-curved portion F of the movable member. In this case also it will be sufficient to employ one lug and pin, although the provision of two is preferable.

In each of the constructions shown the joint consists of two members, one stationary and the other movable, said movable member having a connecting portion which normally is in axial alinement with the adjacent portion of the stationary member. The movable memberis capable of swinging up or down in a plane parallel to that of the diaphragm of the reprod ucer, or, more strictly speaking, parallel to the plane of the stylus G, so that whatever movement the tube F performs the said stylus will always have its end in a plane perpendicular to that of the record H.

The lugs F f or F*, which extend adjacent to the cylindrical portion of the stationary member, should not be too close to the said surface; but some play should be allowed. In fact, it is not necessary nor even intended that the said lugs should engage the cylindrical surface. The operative portion of the said lugs is their end where they engage the flange D in the construction illustrated by Figs. 1 to 4:, or, in the construction illustrated by Figs. 5 and 6, the lugs serve only as supports for the pins f F, these pins performing the same function as the ends of the lugs F in the form of construction first described.

Various modifications may be made without departing from the nature of my invention.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A sound-conductor for talking-machines, comprising a stationary member having a cylindrical portion and a portion of spherical curvature, in combination with a movable member connected with the reproducer and having a portion of spherical curvature engaging the corresponding portion of the stationary member, said movable member having a projection adjacent to the cylindrical portion of the stationary member, and the latter being formed with a surface forming a stop or abutment for said projection to restrict the swinging of the movable member to a predetermined direction.

2. A sound-conductor for talking-machines, comprising a stationary tubular member and a movable tubular member, the latter being connected with the reproducer, each of said members being formed with curved engaging surfaces forming a joint and the movable member being also formed with projecting portions which restrict the swinging of the movable member to a predetermined direction.

3. Asound-conductor for talking-machines, comprising a tubular stationary member and a tubular movable member connected with the reproducer. said members being provided with engaging surfaces which allow the movable member to swing in a predetermined plane, the movable member being also provided with projections arranged to follow its movement and to engage a corresponding surface on the stationary member, to restrict the swinging of the movable member to a predetermined direction relatively to its first-named plane of motion.

4. A sound-conductor for tal king-machines,

comprising a stationary tubular member and a movable tubular member having their adjacent portions in substantial alinement, the said members being connected by a joint allowing the movable member to swing about the axis of its connecting portion, and said movable member being also provided with portions engaging the stationary member and allowing the said movable member to swing in only one of the planes perpendicular to that of its firstmentioned movement.

5. Asound-cond uetor for talking-machines. comprising a stationary member and a movable member, the connecting portions of which are substantially in axial alinement and are provided with spherically-curved engaging surfaces, the movable member being provided with a projection engaging a limiting-surface on the stationary member to keep the movable member from swinging in any plane except one of those which are perpendicular to the plane of its movement about its connecting portion.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALBERT O. \VIECHERS.

Witnesses:

JOHN LOTKA, JOHN A. KEHLENBueK. 

